Door holder



Jan. 26, 1943 E. E. 'LAKEMACHER I 2,309,604

DOOR HOLDER 'Fild June 15, 1940' 2 Sheets-.Sheefi INVENT OR.

Jan. 26, 1943 E. E. LAKEMACHER DOOR HOLDER 2 SheetsSheet 2 Filed June 15, 1940 Q QM mm ww QM QM.

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Patented Jan. 26, 1943 DOOR HOLDER Elmer E. Lakemacher, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Norton Lasier Company, Chicago, 111., a cor poration of Illinois Application June 15, 1940, Serial No. 340,637

6 Claims.

This invention relates to improved holding means for doors and similar devices which are frequently equipped with mechanisms for forcing them to a closing position, and a particular to installations where a slide connection is employed.

This type of device is particularly suited for use in connection with concealed door closers which have slide bar connections and in which it is desirable that the holding means be as inconspicuous as possible. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide simple means which will enable a door to be held open in any one of a plurality of selected positions and to so construct said means that the same will operate automatically to temporarily hold the door open, but which will yield upon the application of moderate pressure against the door to permit the closing of the latter by a door closer.

It is a further object to provide a holding device which may be applied to various types of slide bar connections now in use Without involving any fundamental change in their construction or affecting their normal operation.

It is another object to provide a holder which operates with a minimum amount of noise and vibration.

These and other objects not specifically enumerated are contemplated for this invention, as will readily appear to one skilled in the art as the following description proceeds.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a holding device constructed and installed in accordance with this invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of a slide connection and holding means constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary view in cross section of a device embodying the invention;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view in cross section showing the holding means in holding position; and V Figure 5 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 4.

Referring to the drawings, a bracket or frame 9 is positioned within a cut-out portion H] in the upper edge of a door H. The frame may be formed from a single strip of metal having an upright portion l2 and a base portion l3 End.

members I4 may be formed by bending upwardly the ends of the base I3 and are provided with suitable supports for the slide bar iii. The base portion has openings to receive screws l6 which secure it to the bottom of the door.

The slide bar l5 may be of any cross section and is substantially square in the present embodiment. The bar is'provided with end portions for engaging the supports of the frame 9 and is maintained in supported engagement with the frame in any suitable manner, such as a clip I! which engages an end IA of the frame and a shoulder on the bar. The upright portion 12 of the frame may be provided with an inwardly extending finger I 8 for engaging the bar and limiting its rotation with respect to the frame.

The under side of the bar has a plurality of slots or grooves l9 and bearing pins extend across the grooves. Locking members or pawls 2| are mounted withinthe grooves on the bearing pins and the ends of the pawls depend below the under surface of the slide bar. It will be noted that the grooves H! are of sufficient size to completely accommodate the pawls 2| when they are pivoted to oneside or the other as shown in Figure 3. The pawls are tapered and provided with rounded ends 22.

A crosshead or slide 23 is slidably mounted on the bar It: and has bearing surfaces substantially conforming to the cross sectional shape of the bar. The slide is provided with a spindle 24 on which an operating arm 25 of a door closer is pivotally mounted and a pin 26 holds the arm on the spindle. The under surface of the slide is provided with a slot or notch 21 adjacent the rear edge; that is, the edge nearest the hinged side of the door, which is also the leading'edgeof the slide when the door is moved toward an open position- This slot is of a width sufiicient to allow the end of the pawl 2! to enter it, as shown in Figures land 5.

Secured to the under surface of the slide 23 is a resilient locking member 29. The screw 23 which secures it to the slide is positioned near one end of the member, leaving the end 39 which underlies the slot 21 free and subject to fieXure. It will be noted that the end 30 has a downwardof the cut-out portion 7 ly curved portion beneath the slot 21 for cooperating with the rounded ends 22 of the pawls 2|.

The pawls it may be positioned on the bar at such points as it is desired to have the door held open and, of course, any number of them may be used.

In operation, as the door is moved toward an open position, the slide 23 is moved by the operating arm 25 along the bar l5 toward a spring 3i and stop 32 which are mounted on the bar. As the slide reaches a pawl, it swings it up into the slot l9, permitting the slide to pass freely beyond it. Similarly as the door moves in a closing direction, the slide engages the pawl and swings it in the opposite direction up into the slot, as shown in Figure 3.

To render the holding means effective, the door is moved toward an open position until the lide reaches a pawl and swings it up into the slot E9. The door may then be released and the closer will cause the slide to move in the opposite direction until the end 22 of the pawl drops through the slot 21 and engages the curved end 30 of member 29, as shown in Figure 4, preventing the slide from moving farther and holding the door in that position.

It will be noted that it is not necessary to open the door to the precise point where the pawl end 22 may engage the member 29 before releasing it. The door may be opened to any point where the slide is holding the end of the pawl up in the slot l9 and when the door is released and moves toward a closed position the end 22 of the pawl will ride along the lower bearing surface of the slide until it reaches the slot 21, at which point it will drop through and engage member 29, whereby the door is held.

To release the door, the door is forced in a closing direction, causing the slide to move, which in turn causes the pawl to pivot from one side as shown in Figure 4 through dead center to- Ward the other side, and the end of the pawl causes the member 29 to yield, thereby effecting the release of the door.

The position of the pawls on the slide bar will, of course, determine the positions in which the door may be held open, and they may be positioned to meet the requirements of the particular installation.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the exact embodiment of the device shown, which is merely by way of illustration and not limitation, as various and other forms of the device will, of course, be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the claims.

I claim:

1. A device of the character described, comprising a door frame member and a door member, a slide bar mounted on one of said members, a slide mounted on said slide bar, means for connecting said slide to the other of said members, a depending pawl pivotally connected to said slide bar, and a downwardly yielding lug on said slide positioned for cooperative holding engagement with said pawl, which engagement may be broken by manual movement of said door member in a closing direction.

2. A device of the character described, comprising a door frame member and a door member, a slide bar mounted on one of said members, a slide mounted on said slide bar, means for connecting said slide to th other of said members, slot forming portions provided by said slide, a locking element connected to said slide bar having a rounded portion adapted to enter the slot formed by said portions and extend beyond it, and a cooperating locking element provided by said slide for engaging said rounded portion in locking relation when said first-named element is within said slot.

3. A device of the character described, comprising a door frame member and a door member, a slide bar mounted on one of said members, a slide mounted on said slide bar, means for connecting said slide to the other of said members, a pawl connected to said slide bar, and a yieldable holding lug carried by said slide having a depression therein positioned for cooperative holding engagement with said pawl.

4. A holding device for doors comprising a lide bar, a pawl pivotally connected to said bar, a slide mounted on said bar adapted to pivot said pawl and pass beyond it, and a yieldable lug on said slide positioned for cooperative holding engagement with said pawl, which engagement may be broken by the yielding of the lug when the pawl is manually pivoted.

5. A holding device for doors comprising a slide bar, a slide mounted on said bar, a locking element on said slide, a cooperating locking element on said slide bar, said locking elements bein P mounted to automatically permit free passage of said first named element past said second named element in either direction without entering into a lockingly engaged position therewith, said elements being positioned for locking engagement when said slide is moved a predetermined distance in one direction and is then moved a predetermined distance in the ODDOsite direction, one of said elements being yieldable whereby said engagement may be broken by movement of said slide in either direction.

6. A holding device for doors comprising a slide bar, a slide mounted on said bar, a locking element on said slide bar, a cooperating locking element on said slide for lockingly engaging said first named locking element, which looking ongagement may be broken by movement of said slide in either direction, said locking elements being so constructed and arranged that said last named locln'ng element may automatically pass said first named element without entering into a locking position therewith when said slide is moved in either direction.

ELMER E. LAKEMACHER. 

